Fuel-feeding device for carbureters.



. P. GILLES. FUEL FEEDING DEVICE FOR CARBURETERSM rrucmou FILED JUNE 5, ms.

Patented pt. 25, 191?.

I 5;! E E 2 14/ 4 5 44 I INVENTOR. 5 ar/ 6% M y A TTORNEYS.

nrsrr PIERRE GILLES, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

Speeificanion oi Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 25, ltWlfth Application filed June 5, 1916. Serial No. 101,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIERRE GILnEs, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Feeding Devices for (Jarbureters, of which the followinn" is a specification.

This invention relates to fuel feeding devicesfor carbureters and more particularly to an improved device of the vacuum feed type for supplying fuel to a carbureter from a low level supply tank. While the invention is' capable of general application, it finds a preferred specific use as a feeding means for automobile carhureters. The invention also relates to improvements in iiiiel feeding devices of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 124,521, filed October 9, 1916.

An object of this invention is to provide in a unitary structure a carbureter fuel chamber and a feeding means therefor which is supplied by vacuum feed from the air intake pipe of the carbureter in: an

improved manner.

Another ObJGCt of the invention is to provide in a device of the class described a carbureter fuel chamber, a fuel supply chamber adapted to be fed by suction from a the carbureter intake pipe and a passage between the air spaces of said chambers where by air drawn from the supply chamber into said intake is first laden with fuel vapor.

A further object of the invention is to proide in a fuel feeding device for carbureters, a float controlled valve and improved resilient means associated therewith and arranged to suddenly actuate the valve after the fioat has moved a predetermined distance.

Uther objects and advantages will appear in the following description and in the an nexed claims.

The invention in an embodiment at pres. ent preferred is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a elevation of the feeding device;

2 is a partial plan view of the cover for the carbureter chamber;

Figsf3 and 4 are, sectional lolan views taken on the lines 3-3 and e l, respectively, of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a partial cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the valve being shown in lowered position for illustrative purposes.

Referring to these drawings in detail, a carbureter fuel chamber A and a supply chamber B are arranged side by side in contiguous relation and may be advantageously formed in a single casting as shown. An intake pipe 1, adapted to be connected to the manifold of an engine in any suitable manner, passes horizontally through the chamber A, and a vertical passage 2 extends vertically downward from pipe 1 through the base of the carbureter chamber. Any suitable form of nozzle may be placed in passage 2, but, since the-invention is concerned solely with means to feed fuel to a carbureter chamber, all details of the carbureter has been purposely omitted. Any suitable and necessary carbureter parts may be mounted as desired within chamber A and be connected with the latter in any desired manner. For a more complete disclosure of the carbu'reter parts themselves reference is made to my copending application Serial No. 121,521, filed ()ctober 9, 1916.

The fuel supply chamber B has a float 3 therein, and the latter is guided by a depending rod 4 which slides loosely in a sleeve 5 upstanding from the bottom wall of chamber B. Pivoted at 48 is a bell crank 49, one

arm of which is pivot-ally connected to float 3. To the other end of hell crank l9 is riveted an arm 50, which is of fiat, thin spring material. The upper end of arm 50 normally holds block 43 in the position shown and bears against the block closely ad jacent the rear portion of a guide member all, as shown in. igs. *1 and 5. The member consists of a right angularly shaped lug which depends from the upper wall of chamber B and is adapted to engage two sides of block 43, as shown in Fig. 5. Attachedto block 43 and vertically upstanding therefrom is a rod 8 which is vertically slidable in an opening 9 in the upper wall of chamber B. Opening 9 is slightly larger in diameter then rod 8 and is connected by a passage 10 to the intake pipe 1, and, at the intersection of passage 10 with the'latter, a valve 121s provided which is normally held in closed position by a spring 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The block 43, when positioned as illustrated, seats against the upper wall of chamber B and is held from turning by the described guides 44. The upper face of block 43 has a recess 45 which is circumferentially arranged with respect to rod 8 and opens into chamber B on each side of the block (Figs. 3, 4, and 5) so that communication always exists between the opening 9 and chamber B whether or not the block 43 is seated as shown. The left end of block 43 face 46 and the other end of the block is recessed to form a cam surface 47 which inclines upwardly from the front to the rear face of the block, as best shown in Fig. 7. The spring arm 50 is normally unflexed and acts simply as a supporting arm for block 43. The arm is, however, capable of flexure in a plane transverse to its plane of swinging movement for a purpose later to appear.

The vertical opening9 in the upper wall of chamber B has'an enlarged portion 14 which extends through the wall and is ordinarily closed by a cover 15. A passage 16 connects the air space of chamber A to opening 14 and a passage 17 connects opening 9 with the H air space of supply chamber B. A valve 42 fixed to a necked down upper portion 19 of rod 8 is adapted to seat at the upper end of opening 9 to close off communication between passages 16 and 17. WVith block 43 in lifted position as shown, valve 42 is raised from its seat and air laden with Vapor from chamber A may flow into chamber B.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that chamber B is always connected to suction passage 10 whatever the position of block 43, and, when valve 12 is opened, suction from the intake pipe 1 is effective to create a partial vacuum in chamber B. Thus with valve 42 in closed position, fuel may be drawn into chamber B through a suitable fuel supply pipe 11 by suction from the intake pipe. When, however, the valve 42 is opened. as illustrated, the inflow of fuel is stopped since the area of the air inlet is much greater than. that of the annular space between rod 8 and the wall of passage 9.

It is desirable to open and close valve 42 1,2 1.0,aao

sharply by rise and fall of float 3, and this is effectively accomplished by the flexible arm 50 whichcoop'erates with block 43 and the cam surfaces 46 and 47 thereon in the following manner. As float 3 falls arm 50 gradually rides across the extreme rear por tion of the lower face of block 43, which portion is flat and horizontal, as shown, and on continued movement finally rides ofl' the block allowing the latter to drop suddenly by gravity to close valve 42. As the float rises, the unflexed arm 50 strikes the pointed end of block 43 and, as the arm is forced against the latter on continued upward movement of float 3, the upper end of the arm is deflected to the right as viewed in Fig. 6 by its engagement with the cam surface 46. The spring 50, thus flexed, finally rides onto the plane surface 51 of block 43 and comes in front of the beveled recess forming cam 47. Immediately as the spring assumes such a position, it snaps into the recess, engages cam 47 and by coaction therewith forces block 43 against its seat and opens valve 42. Thus, the latter is opened and closed sharply and suddenly by the rise and fall of'the float through a predetermined range.

Chambers A and B are connected near their lower portions by a passage 20. and the latter may be closed by a pivoted plate 21 which normally acts as a check valve per-.

initting flow from chamber B to chamber A but not in a reverse direction. Plate 21 has an arm 22 extending horizontally into chamber B, and the end of the arm is adapted to lie between spaced projections 23 formed on a small rod 24 depending vertically from 7 block 43. Thus, when the float 3 rises, plate 21 is positively opened without waiting for the level in chamber B to rise sufliciently over that in chamber A to obtain the necessary pressure and similarly the plate is positively closed when float 3 falls.

It is desirable to be able to lock plate 21 so that, when the carbureter is used for an automobile, theft of the latterwill be prevented by cutting off the fuel supply to chamber A. To accomplish this object, a rod 25 is mounted vertically in suitable lugs on the interior walls of chamber A which rod has a bent end 26 adapted to engage plate 21 as shown. An operating lever 27 is fixed to the upper end of rod 25 in a conveniently accessible position whereby the bent part 26 ofthe rod may be turned into or out of engagement with the plate 21 to lock or release the'latter in an obvious manner. Chamber A has a pivoted cover 28 which is provided with a springlatch 29. A cylinder 30 (Fig. 2), rotatably mounted in the cover, hasan opening 31 to receive a key which is adapted toen'gage in a notch 32 in latch 29 to retract the latter in a manner clearly obvious from Figs. 1 and 2.

patent-e In the operation of my invention, the rod 25 is suitably turned to release check valve plate 21, and the fuel in the two chambers assumes the same level. The normal level of fuel is shown in Fig. 1. As fuel is consumed in the chamber A, it is replaced by fuel from chamber B, the valve 21 being free to move independently of rod 2% through a limited range to permit the flow. Normally valve 42 lies in the position shown whereby air may enter chamber B from chamber A to displace the fuel fed therefrom, and it is particularly to be noted that the air so fed into chamber B is laden with fuel vapor. Chamber A has an air vent, as is usual, but this vent is not illustrated since it forms a part of the usual carbureter construction with which this invention is not concerned. Meanwhile, air in chamber B is being drawn out through passage 10, but, since the connection of the latter with chamber B is restricted, air flows irrthrough passages 16 and 17 faster than it is drawn out through passage 10. After the level in chamber B has fallen to a given level, valve 42 is suddenly closed to shut off the air supply from chamber A, and the suction through passage 10 creates a partial vacuum in chamber B causing fuel to be drawn into the latter from supply pipe 11. As soon as chamber B is filled to a predetermined level, valve 1-2 is sharply raised from its seat permitting air to enter the chamber to stop the how from pipe 11. Check valve 21 automatically closes during the period of inflow to prevent fuel from chamber A from returning to chamber B. It is to be noted that the usual manner of check valve opera.- tion is not alone relied upon but a supplementary means positively operable from float 3 is provided to insure correct operation of valve 21. Valve 12 is arranged to open execept when the engine is running at slow speed and then, since little fuel is drawn from chamber A, it prevents the continual suction of air from chambers A and B at a time when such suction is unnecessary,

The feeding device disclosed is characterized by an advantageous arrangement of parts to obtain an efficacious vacuum feed for a carbureter without elaborate structure and unnecessary multiplicity of parts. As distinguished from fuel feeding devices heretofore used, the present device is character iaed in that the air, entering the fuel supply chamber, is laden with fuel vapor and this vapor laden air subsequently is drawn into the intake pipe. and delivered to the engine.

The feeding device is furthermore particularly characterd riedby an improved and advantageous means for suddenly opening and closing the air valve.

The invention has been described in one preferred form for illustrative purposes,

but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the fore going description.

What I claim is- 1. A fuel feeding device for carbureters, comprising a single casing formed with a carburetor fuel chamber and a fuel supply chamber, a connection between said channbers arranged to permit fuel to pass from the latter to the former, a valve in said con nection, a fuel supply connection to the sup ply chamber, a float in the latter, passage communicating between the air spaces of said chambers, a valve in said passage operable from said float, an air intake pipe passing through the carbureter chamber and adapted for connection to a suction means a passage connecting the intake with the air space of the supply chamber and communicatingwith the latter through a restricted opening. means operable from said float to open and close said first-named valve, and a device to lock the latter to prevent flow fromthe supply chamber when desired.

2. lhe combination in a fuel 'feeding'device for carburetors of a fuel receptacle, a float therein, a valve for said receptacle having an operating stem, a pivoted arm of resilient material arranged to be moved by the float, 'said arm being arranged to support said stem in one position and when;

moved by the float a predetermined distance can I in one dlrection to withdraw from supporting engagement with the stem, whereby the valve may fall to another position, means on the valve stem engageable by said arm when moved in the other direction to deflect the arm, and other means on the valve stem engageable by the deflected arm to suddenly move the valve stem to the first position 3. The combination in a fuel feeding device for carburetors, of afuel receptacle, a float therein, a valve for the receptacle havmg an operating stem, a swlngmg spring arm operatively connected to the float for actuation therefrom and adapted for liezture in a dlrectlon transverse to said movements,

the arm arranged to hold the valve in one position until the float has fallen a predetermined distance and then to permit the valve to drop to another position, means on u the valve stem engageable by the arm as the float rises to deflect the arm, and a device on the valve stem engageable by the deflect ed spring arm, all constructed and arranged so that the tension of the deflected arm. is exerted upon said device to srddenly move the valve to the first named psition.

A. In a fuel feeding device for carbureters,

a fuel receptacle, a valve therefor having an operating stem, a float 1n the receptacle, I TQSllIGIIl; arm connected to the float to be swung thereby and adapted normally to support the valve in one position, said i naeaeee arranged to withdraw from supporting engagement with the valve after the float has fallen a predetermined distance, a cam formed on said valve stem arranged to engage and deflect the resilient arm as the float rises, and a second cam on the valve stem adapted to be engaged by the deflected arm after the float has risen a predetermined distance, the construction belng characterized in that the tension of the deflected arm 1 is exerted'on said cam to raise the valve to the first named position.

PIERRE GILLES. 

